Infant and Maternal mortality remains high, Adibo

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June ?99

Dr Moses Adibo, Deputy Minister of Health, on Thursday noted that infant and maternal mortality remains "unacceptably high" and called for more advocacy programmes to promote reproductive health and rights of women.

He also called for more reproductive autonomy of women and control in family planning.

At the opening of a three-day workshop on reproductive health and rights of women in Accra, the Deputy Minister said the Kassena-Nankana district, in the Upper East Region, has a mortality rate of 800 per 100,000 live births, describing this as one of the highest in the world.

Some 25 officials drawn from non-governmental organisations, including policy makers, women's rights groups and other experts, are attending the workshop.

Dr Adibo noted that most of the woes of patients, particularly at the in-patient level, are blamed on the cash-and-carry system and explained that the system has made an impact since every health facility has 85 to 95 per cent of drugs available at any point.

The implementation process of the cash-and-carry system, which has created very serious problems, is being reviewed to give it a human face.

Dr Adibo said factors such as poverty and illiteracy do not promote pre-natal nutrition and care, safe delivery and post-natal care of mother and child, he said.

Steps are still being taken to implement the policy of free medical care for pregnant women and children below the age of five.

Mrs. Elizabeth Owiredu Gyampoh, President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, (FIDA) said to achieve sustainable development in the country, women's reproductive health problems should be addressed as a human rights issue.

Women, she said, represent 51 per cent of the population and said there can, therefore, be no development if their rights are trampled upon.

The workshop is organised by FIDA and Centre for Reproductive Law and Policy, an American organisation involved in promoting reproductive health issues around the world.